Pesto Pasta Bake, a tasty vegetarian pasta bake packed with hidden veggies! Perfect for a tasty weeknight dinner.
Weeknight dinners for us usually include a pasta bake. My daughter loves pasta, has done since she started eating really. And pesto pasta has been on the menu for my family for a very long time. However, my daughter does not love spinach, and since we switched to a vegetarian diet, I have struggled to get her to eat more spinach. We all know the importance of greens when you are a veggie. So I have had to go full-on stealth mode to sneak it into her diet. And this is exactly where this pesto pasta bake comes to my rescue.
I have hidden a lot of spinach in the pesto for this pasta bake! Yes, friends, even teenagers need hidden veggies in their pasta. She loves this pesto pasta bake and has no clue there is spinach in it, and if you squeal on me there will be consequences! Just kidding, I'm sure she'll find out one day!! Pasta has always been the perfect vehicle for hiding veggies, I'm not even sure she noticed the courgette in this either. So this pesto pasta bake is definitely kid-approved.
How to Make Pesto Pasta Bake - Step by Step
This doesn't take a huge amount of time if you are organised. Start by getting the pasta on to cook.
- While the pasta is doing its thing, make the pesto. You will need a food processor for this bit. Add the spinach, basil, garlic, pinenuts and cheese to the food processor.
- Whizz together the basil, spinach, garlic, pine nuts and Italian hard cheese. Slowly pour in the oil while the food processor is still whizzing away. Finish the pesto with the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste it now, then add more salt if you feel it needs it.
- Save a cup full of water from the pasta before you drain it. Mix that water into the pesto. Drain your pasta, tip it into a casserole dish, then stir in the pesto, add the courgettes/ zucchini and tomatoes.
- Cover the whole thing with mozzarella then bake and you are done! Hidden spinach pesto pasta bake for dinner!
Tips for Making Pesto Pasta Bake:
- I used rigatoni pasta, but any similar pasta like penne or fusilli will do just fine.
- Try not to overcook your pasta, if it is overcooked it can turn mushy in the oven!
- If you are not vegetarian you can use parmesan cheese instead of vegetarian hard Italian cheese.
- You will get the best results for your pesto by slowly pouring the oil into the food processor, add it too fast and it may split.
- The fresh pesto with the spinach really makes this pesto pasta bake, however, if you are really stuck on time then you can easily make this with a good store-bought vegetarian pesto.
- If you want to make this gluten-free just sub the pasta for your favourite gluten-free pasta.
Can I Freeze This Pesto Pasta Bake?
I don't recommend freezing this dish. Any leftovers can be kept in the fridge once cooled. They should keep for a day or two.
Can I Make This Pesto Pasta Bake Vegan?
Yes, you can make this vegan. Just sub the Italian cheese for a good vegan hard cheese or Elena from Happy Kitchen Rocks has a great recipe for easy vegan pesto. You will also need to sub the mozzarella for a good meltable vegan cheese.
More Great Veggie-Packed Pasta Dinners:
- Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake
- Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake
- Vegetarian Lasagne
- Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese
- Creamy Kale and Mushroom Pasta Bake
Pesto Pasta Bake with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the spinach pesto
- 30 g basil just the leaves
- 120 g spinach stems removed
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 45 g pine nuts
- 60 g hard Italian cheese (vegetarian) finely grated
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- The juice of half a medium lemon
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
for the pasta bake
- 390 g rigatoni
- 1 cup of pasta cooking water
- 1 medium courgette (240g) cut in half lengthways then sliced
- 90 g sun-dried tomatoes sliced
- 150 g mozzarella grated
- Extra Italian cheese, grated, for serving optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C / 356F. I use a fan assisted electric oven, please adjust the temperature to your own oven.
- Bring a large saucepan of water with a pinch of salt to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking make the spinach pesto. Add the spinach, Italian hard cheese, basil, garlic and pine nuts to a food processor. Blitz until the mix is quite stiff then slowly pour in the oil while the blade is still going. Keep mixing until everything is combined. Now add the lemon juice, salt and pepper.Set aside until the pasta is ready.
- Drain the pasta reserving a cup of the cooking water. Tip the pasta into a large casserole dish. Add the water to the pesto, stir until the water is incorporated.
- Add the pesto to the pasta along with the courgette and sun-dried tomatoes, mix well.Top with the grated mozzarella. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Or until the cheese is golden and the courgette is cooked.
- Serve immediately with more grated Italian hard cheese and freshly cracked black pepper if you like.
Notes
- Calories are approximate
- I used rigatoni pasta, but any similar pasta like penne or fusilli will do just fine.
- If you are not vegetarian you can use parmesan cheese instead of vegetarian hard Italian cheese.
- The fresh pesto with the spinach really makes this pesto pasta bake, however, if you are really stuck on time then you can easily make this with a good store-bought vegetarian pesto.
- To make this vegan please see the post.
- I do not recommend freezing this dish.
- If you want to make this gluten-free just sub the pasta for your favourite gluten-free pasta.
Mia
Hi Michelle,
Just wondering how much store-bought pesto you would need in lieu of home-made? I have a fabulous jar in the house already. Looks amazing and can't wait to try it!
Michelle Alston
Hi Mia, it really depends on the size of your jar. I'm in the UK so if I was going to make this with store-bought pesto I would use a whole 190g jar. I would empty the jar into a bowl, add a little olive oil to loosen it up a bit then add it to the pasta. I hope that helps, let me know how you get on x
Elena
What a comforting pasta bake! Pasta, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes make a perfect pairing. Can't wait to try it!
Michelle Alston
Thanks so much Elena x
Deseree
I love all things pesto and pasta and you have combined both! I can't wait to make this and I know my family would enjoy it.
Monica
I think you've gone and ahead and found the only possible ways to make pesto pasta even more amazing - add sun-dried tomatoes, and BAKE IT! Seriously, why is baked pasta always so exceptional? And this flavor is so delicious!
Anne Lawton
This looks so good! I would not have thought to bake pasta with pesto, but it sounds great!
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
Okay... um.. what?? That spinach pesto sounds like food dreams are made of. To be honest, as a teenager, I would probably want you to hide the fact that there is spinach in it too. But now?? I can't get enough! There is still hope yet 😉
Michelle Alston
Haha, thank you Cathleen, I live in hope x
Sharon
This pasta bake looks so good. Perfect comfort food for the colder months. Can't wait to make this!
Leslie Haasch
I'm so ready to get out of the winter dinner rut and add this to our dinner rotation. Pesto is totally what I need!
Kylie | Midwest Foodie
My mouth is watering! That rigatoni looks perfectly al dente and I just want to bite right into. Pesto is my fave so I'll be pinning this recipe for later!
Aleta
Pesto pasta is my hands down, my favourite type of pasta. I LOVE that you make your own from scratch, how cool is that! I can't wait to make this for my family.
Sherri
Oh my gosh, this pasta bake is to die for! Love the spinach pesto combined with the sun-dried tomatoes. Such a beautiful and hearty, yet healthy dish! 🙂
Rachel
This recipe is BEAUTIFUL! I also love the "hidden spinach" strategy. I'm always hiding greens and other nutritious things in my hubby's dinner. 🙂
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
This pasta looks delicious! The pesto is such a vibrant colour green! I also like to hide lots of spinach (and arugula) in my pesto, hummus and other dips! It's my way of ensuring my hubby gets more veggies in his diet!! Thanks for a great recipe. Looks perfectly cozy for winter!
Elaine Benoit
Oh, my gosh! This looks soooo delicious! I love pesto and pasta but never thought to bake them into a casserole! What a brilliant and delicious idea!! I can't wait to make this as my hubby could eat pasta every day and I know he's going to love this!